Lleyton Hewitt has urged his son Cruz not to get “caught up in comparisons” as the teenager aims to make his own mark on the tennis court.
Cruz is the 38th-ranked junior in the world, and he is yet to make his grand slam debut in a main draw, losing 6-3 6-3 to the USA’s Michael Zheng in the first round of Australian Open qualifying on Tuesday.
But Cruz, who was named the 2025 male junior performer of the year at last year’s Newcombe Medal, will compete in the junior boys event at Melbourne Park.
Lleyton and Cruz combined to win a doubles match at the NSW Open late last year, with Cruz’s power and ability to hit forehand winners on full display, while Lleyton’s crafty touch at the net proved he’s still got it.
“It was really special,” Hewitt senior told news.com.au last month, speaking as an ambassador for supplement brand Tru Niagen.
“Any time I get to step back on court with Cruz is something I don’t take for granted.
“I’ve had a long career in the game, but sharing the court with your own kid, seeing their passion, their competitiveness, and their love for the sport, it’s a totally different feeling.
“We had a lot of fun out there and it’s a memory I’ll hang onto.”
Asked what advice he has given Cruz as he aims to follow in his father’s footsteps, Lleyton said: “The same things I tried to live by: enjoy the grind, stay focused mentally, and understand that improvement comes from consistency.
“I also tell him not to get caught up in comparisons, everyone develops at their own pace. If he stays humble, stays hungry, and focuses on what he can control, he’ll give himself every opportunity.”
Hewitt is Australia’s Davis Cup captain and the most recent Australian man to win a grand slam singles title is still fighting fit and moving well at the age of 44.
“There’s no secret, really,” he said.
“It’s the same approach I had during my career: discipline, consistency, and doing the work every day.
“I still enjoy training, I still enjoy feeling sharp, and I’m always looking for ways to support my recovery and overall wellbeing.
“That’s a big reason why I’ve teamed up with Tru Niagen – a brand that’s dedicated to supporting health and recovery at any age.
“For me, it comes down to authenticity and evidence. My whole career was built on doing things the right way, no shortcuts, no gimmicks, just hard work and trust in the science behind my training and recovery. Tru Niagen represents that same philosophy.”
Alex de Minaur once again heads into the Australian Open as Australia’s top-ranked male player at a career-high World No. 6 – he will be aiming to reach the second week of the grand slam and go past the quarterfinal stage, which he has done six times across the four majors throughout his career.
The 26-year-old has struggled against the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but Hewitt is confident de Minaur can continue to take his game to new heights.
“Alex has been fantastic. His consistency has been world-class, keeping his ranking high, qualifying for the ATP Finals, that’s no small achievement,” Hewitt said.
“Breaking through against the top guys is always the toughest step, and he’s improving all the time. What I admire most is his professionalism and competitiveness.
“He’s constantly improving, and he’s going to be a real threat deep in the biggest tournaments.”
Why top ranked Aussie has American accent
On the women’s side, 19-year-old Maya Joint heads into the Australian Open as Australia’s top-ranked female player – she will be the 32nd seed, meaning she will avoid coming up against the world’s best players for the first couple of matches.
She is in solid form, defeating 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round of the Adelaide International.
Joint enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, winning WTA 250 titles on grass at Eastbourne and hardcourt on clay in Morocco as she cracked the top 100 and rose to a career high World No. 32.
She has now reset her goals for 2026, telling news.com.au: “I hope to win a WTA 500. I’d like to get to the fourth round of a Masters 1000.
“I’d love to get to the third round of a grand slam. Those are probably my main goals.”
Joint, whose father is Australian, was born in Michigan and grew up in the United States, before deciding in 2023 to represent Australia and move to Brisbane in search of more training opportunities.
The 19-year-old speaks in a strong American accent but has now represented Australia at the United Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, and is studying criminal justice through the WTA’s university program.
“I grew up playing at Ghost Park, Michigan,” she said.
“I was there for about 16 years. I really liked it. It was just really cold in the winter, so I played a lot of indoor tennis.
“I had a coach but she lived really far away so I maybe saw her once a week and then there wasn’t really anyone left to hit with. They were all in college, and then they moved away. ”So it was just a struggle for a while trying to find hits.
“Then I was with the USTA a little bit, but then we just kind of stopped working together. “So then my parents and I reached out to Tennis Australia to see if I could get some training and if I could switch my flag from the US to Australia.
“I went down to Brisbane and went for like a two-week trial. It was great. I really loved it down there.
Joint added: ”I never really went to Australia when I was a kid, I went once when I was a baby, so I don’t remember any of it.
“So when I came here it was really for the first time. My dad talked about Australia a lot. I always felt like I had ties to here and I always really wanted to come here but I finally got the chance to do that which was good.
“My parents have moved to Melbourne, so now I’m fully based in Aus, which is nice.”
Joint was speaking to news.com.au as an ambassador for Tangerine, an Australian telco who she credits with giving her high speed internet around the world, which is crucial for her university studies.
Australian tennis has gone through a transition period at the top of the women’s game since Ash Barty’s retirement, and Joint will be aiming to win a match or two at the Australian Open.
“It would be massive if I could get seeded,” Joint said, adding that Barty has offered some words of wisdom to her.
“I hit with her twice, and we’ve met up for coffee at once.
“I asked some questions and she’s given me advice on a lot more mental, psychological tennis work instead of technique or that stuff.”
The Australian Open main draw begins on Sunday, January 18.
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Australians playing the Australian Open
Men: Alex de Minaur, Adam Walton, Aleksandar Vukic, Alexei Popyrin, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Tristan Schoolkate, James Duckworth, Chris O’Connell, Rinky Hijikata, Jordan Thompson
Women: Maya Joint, Daria Kasatkina, Ajla Tomjlanovic, Kimberley Birrell, Priscila Hon, Emerson Jones, Talia Gibson, Tayla Preston
